Priorities and themes 2021-2027

Priorities & themes
in the future programme
2021-2027

Pushing change,
driving transitions
The Interreg North Sea Region Programme
2021-2027 funds cooperation across borders to
stimulate a green and sustainable future.
Our support enables partnerships to test new
ideas and address joint challenges in the North
Sea Region.
Our vision is to create a vibrant North Sea
Region by helping innovators get their gamechanging
ideas off the ground.

Find the right spot for your
project idea
The North Sea Region Programme 2021-2027
centres on four thematic priorities. Each priority
includes one to three specific objectives.
All projects funded by the programme must
address one of the priorities and match at least
one of the specific objectives.
In addition, we encourage you to consider if any
of the spotlight themes apply to your project idea.
Learn more on the following pages!

Priority 1
Robust and smart economies in the North
Sea Region
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1.1 Enhancing research & innovation
capacities and the uptake of advanced
technologies
1.2: Developing skills for smart
specialisation, industrial transition and
entrepreneurship

Priority 2
A green transition in the North Sea Region
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
2.1: Promoting energy efficiency measures
& reducing greenhouse gas emissions
2.2: Promoting renewable energy
2.3: Promoting smart energy systems,
storage and grids
2.4: Promoting the transition to a circular
economy
2.5: Promoting sustainable multimodal
urban mobility.

Priority 3
A climate resilient North Sea Region
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
3.1: Promoting climate change
adaptation, risk prevention and
disaster resilience.
3.2: Enhancing biodiversity, green
infrastructure in the urban
environment, and reducing pollution

Priority 4
Better governance
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
4.1 Better cooperation
governance

Spotlight themes
Spotlight themes apply across all priorities. They
are additional dimensions of special importance in
the North Sea Region. There are three spotlight
themes:
Digitalisation
Rural-urban linkages
Strengths & challenges in the North Sea basin
If a spotlight theme is relevant to your project, we
recommend you pay attention to it. Projects that
are not connected to spotlight themes, however,
will stand an equal chance of approval.

Interreg North Sea
MAIN FRAMEWORK 2021-2027
1
2
3
4
Robust & smart
economies
A green
transition
Climate
resilience
Better
governance
Specific objectives
1.1 Research
& innovation
2.1 Energy
efficiency &
low emissions
3.1 Climate
adaptation,
risk & disaster
4.1 Better
cooperation
governance
1.2 Smart
specialisation
2.2 Renewable
energy
2.3 Smart
energy, grids
and storage
3.2 Biodiversity,
pollution &
green infrastructure
2.4 Circular
economy
2.5 Multimodal
urban
mobility
Spotlight themes
Digitalisation
Rural-urban linkages
Strengths & challenges in the North Sea basin

North Sea Region
Home to game-changing ideas